Indian Aubergine Dip

You may call this a fusion dish of  Maharashtrian style 'Vangyache Bharit' and an 'International dip'  with  'Indian Tadka'. This dip can be served with Garlic Bread or Cream Crackers or with Maharashtrian Bread like 'Bhakri'.

Servings: 2 people

Approx. Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:
250 gm Aubergines (Eggplant /Brinjal)
9-10 Cloves
1/2  tspn Oil (For brushing)
1/4 cup Fresh Cream
2 tbspns Chopped Coriander leaves
Salt to taste

For Tempering:
1 tbspn Oil
1/2 tspn Mustard Seeds
1/3 tspn Green Chilly paste (or Chopped Green Chillies)
1/3 tspn Ginger paste
8-10 Curry leaves 

Method:

Pierce the Aubergines and insert cloves into it. Then brush the Aubergines with oil. Roast the Aubergines directly on medium flame. Roast till the outer skin starts flaking. Once roasted, peel off the skin and mash it with the help of a fork. Set it aside for cooling.

Heat oil in a tempering pan or Kadai. Add Mustard seeds. When it starts crackling add Green Chilly paste, Ginger paste and Curry leaves. Give a stir and set it aside.

Now take the Aubergine mash in a mixing bowl. Add Fresh Cream and mix it. Then add salt and coriander and mix it. Pour the tempering into the mixture and mix well. Garnish it with Chopped Coriander leaves and serve chilled or at room temperature. 

Notes:

Ensure that the Aubergine does not have much seeds as it spoils the taste.

You may blend entire or part of the Aubergine Mash in a blender to improve the consistency and make it more creamy.

Stepwise Pictures:

Vada Pav

Vada Pav, the Indian form of burger, is a very popular street food of Mumbai. Vada pav many-a-times serves as a quick replacement for a full-fledged meal or a quick snack when you are in a hurry. People from all levels of life love this snack. There are many varients available to the classic Vada Pav such as Schezwan vada pav, cheese vada pav and so on. However, the classic style is still my favorite.

Servings: Approx. 8 Vada-Pav

Approx. Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
For Vada Stuffing:
2 large Boiled Potatoes
2 tspns Vegetable Oil
 tspn Mustard Seeds
1/2 tspn Asafoetida
1 tspn Garlic Paste
1 tspn Green Chilly Paste
1 tspn Ginger Paste
10-12 chopped Curry leaves
1/2 tspn Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped Coriander leaves
1 tspn lemon juice

For the Batter:
1 cup Gram flour (Beasan)
1 tbspn Rice Flour (Optional)
1/2 tspn Turmeric Powder
1/2 tspn Red Chilly powder
1/4 tspn Asafoetida powder
1/4 tspn Soda Bi-Carb (Or Fruit Salt)
Salt to taste
3/4 cup water (or as required)
1 tspn Hot Oil (For Moan)

Oil for deep-frying

For Vada-Pav: 
Indian Bun Bread (Pav)
Potato Vada
Garlic Chutney
Green Chutney
Sweet Chutney

Method:
To make Potato Vada Mixture :

Peel the boiled potatoes and cut it into small cubes. Heat oil in a pan for tempering. Add mustard seeds, Asafoetida, Garlic Paste, Ginger Paste, Green Chilly Paste, chopped Curry leaves and turmeric powder to the hot oil. Give it a stir for a minute. Then pour the tempering (Masala) over the peeled potato cubes. Now add chopped Coriander leaves, lemon juice and salt to the mixture. Mix all the ingredients in the potato mixture and mash it. Ensure that the mixture does not turn into paste. Check the seasoning and make small lemon sized balls and keep it aside.

To make Batter:

Take besan in a mixing bowl. Add rice flour, Red Chilly powder, Turmeric powder, Asafoetida powder, Soda Bicarb and salt to the besan. Slowly add water to the mixture to make batter. Whisk till the batter gets medium consistency. At the end, add a teaspoon of hot oil to the batter (Moan).

To make Potato Vada:

Heat oil in a kadai. Dip the potato balls in the batter and ensure that the batter is completely and evenly coated. Then slowly drop it into the hot oil. Deep fry the Vadas till it becomes golden brown in colour. Drain the excess Oil on tissue paper.

To make Vada Pav:

Make a vertical slit in the centre of Bread (Pav) such that it is slit in two verticals. Apply Green Chutney to the base and Sweet Chutney on top verticals. Sprinkle some dry Garlic Chutney over the Green Chutney layer. Then place the Potato Vada in between the two verticals of Pav. Serve hot with fried & salted Green Chillies and Onion slices.

Notes:
1. You may make it more tastier by shallow frying the Vada Pav with a teaspoon of Butter.
 2. Usage of grated Cheese or a slice of Cheese make Vada Pav more tempting

Stepwise Pictures:

Sending this entry to the Nivedhanams Joint event - Only - Crazy for Potatoes conducted in association with  Foodelicious, UK, Rasoi & me's event - What's with my Cuppa? , Indian Delight's Monsoon Temptations. and Cook Yellow Event announced at Merry Tummy.